This year has been a testing time for France both politically and economically. With the country remaining in a state of emergency after the series of terrorist atrocities, which have plagued the nation for the past two years, in addition to a dwindling economy with stagnant growth, political capital is at an all-time low. That’s far from an enviable position for a government struggling to reform and in dire need of finding ways to stimulate the domestic economy and tackle unemployment. Continue reading “GC Powerlist: France”
The conflict between a corporation’s global standards and national law
A fundamental principle for multi-national companies is compliance with the law of all nations where they do business. But a recurrent dilemma is what to do when a corporation’s global ethical standards (‘oppose censorship’ for a global media company) collides with national law (China’s extensive state censorship). As companies globalize and nations regulate ever more, this vexatious problem is not esoteric, but recurring. Most companies make voluntary decisions to adopt ethical standards beyond what formal legal and financial rules mandate. A decision that a company’s global ethical standards conflict with national law raises a range of options: obey the law; be civilly disobedient (a very uncomfortable, often untenable, position for global companies dedicated to rule of law); try to change the law; or stop doing business in that nation. Continue reading “The conflict between a corporation’s global standards and national law”
Zurich trailblazers
GC Magazine was excited to host the second in its cutting-edge events series, Trailblazers, in Zurich on 8 June 2016. Once again, we were working with Tom Sager, the innovative former general counsel of DuPont.
Dinner with GC: Houston
PARTICIPANTS
Gregory Bopp – Managing partner, Bracewell LLP
David DeVeau – General counsel, Kinder Morgan Inc.
Jeffrey Kaplan – General counsel, LyondellBasell
Susan Lindberg – General counsel, Eni US Operating Co.
Inc. and head of the Americas Region legal department of Italian-based Eni SpA
Catherine McGregor – GC Magazine
Who do you need to be?
What is considered important professional ‘news’ for an in-house lawyer? Sure, many will see the changing legal landscape as news, scanning diligently the usual array of legal industry journals on a daily basis. But what other sources do you use to gather your news from? For that matter, what even is news? Continue reading “Who do you need to be?”
Tracking change for in-house legal departments
‘Corporate law departments are under enormous pressure to change. The business has higher expectations than it once did, and law departments must manage more and riskier legal and compliance work,’ explains Jason Heinrich, partner at Bain & Company’s Chicago office and a leader in both performance improvement and legal and compliance operations.
Continue reading “Tracking change for in-house legal departments”
Act like a leader, think like a leader
So you keep hearing from people like us that you need to function more like a leader in your legal role. The problem is, you’re too busy dealing with all the other requirements that your role keeps throwing at you, to even get a moment to think about how to develop like a leader. Continue reading “Act like a leader, think like a leader”
GC Diversity and Inclusion Report UK Launch
The launch of GC Magazine’s first special report publication, focused on diversity and inclusion in the UK in-house community, drew an impressive roster of attendees. The report is part of a range of initiatives undertaken by GC Magazine and The Legal 500 in regards to diversity and inclusion in the legal community globally. The UK report will be followed by a US-focused report and a Europe-focused one, as well as multiple events. The reports and the events will have a dual focus on the strategic rationales for diversity and inclusion in business and law, and the practical steps needed to successfully implement initiatives – essentially both a top-down and bottom-up approach. Continue reading “GC Diversity and Inclusion Report UK Launch”
The GC’s role in preparing for the (inevitable) crisis
Crisis management as a theme cuts across a number of different issues that are supremely important to today’s general counsel – and in today’s 21st century business landscape, it seems more often than not that it’s a matter of when, not if, that seemingly inevitable crisis hits.
Continue reading “The GC’s role in preparing for the (inevitable) crisis”
The changing talent economy in sub-saharan Africa
Since the turn of the millennium, Africa has been a hotbed for foreign investment activity. As China’s ‘Go Out’ investment policy hit full stride and western investors sought new, potential high-return ventures in which to place their capital, the prominence of Africa as an investment destination has burgeoned.
Continue reading “The changing talent economy in sub-saharan Africa”